Sewing machine for making tubular trimmings



Dec. 19, 19% L. w. SENTER 2,534,534

SEWING MACHINE FOR MAKING TUBULAR TRIMMINGS Filed Nov. 27, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 AWE/WW? LLOYD W. SENTER ec. 1, 1950 L. w. SENTER 2,534,534

SEWING MACHINE FOR MAKING TUBULAR TRIMMINGS Filed Nov. 27, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /N vE/u 7- 1? 1 77' TOKA/E) Dec, 19, 1950 1.. W. SENTER SEWING MACHINE FOR MAKING TUBULAR TRIMMINGS Filed Nov. 27, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.:1.8.

buwsvvrak LLOYD W. (SENTER W Patented Dec. 19, 1950 SEWING MACHINE FOR MAKING TUBULAR TRIMJVHNGS Lloyd W. Senter, Overland, Mo., assignor to Portnoy Garment Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application November 27, 1946, Serial No. 712,713

4 Claims. (Cl. 112-63) This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in sewing machines for making tubular trimming or spaghetti as it is called in the garment industry.

In the manufacture of tubular trimmings, such as "spaghetti, strips of material, each cut on the bias, are first sewed together to provide a suitable length of bias tape. The tape is then fed into a sewing machine through a device which first folds or rolls the tape with its wrong side out so that the longitudinal margins are superposed and can be stitched to form a tubular article. After stitching, the article must be reversed and pulled through itself to a right-sideoutcondition in which the seam edge is concealed.

Present machines for manufacturing tubular trimming or spaghetti are not particularly suited to continuous and uniform production since the reversing operation is usually performed man ually by the aid of an elongated pulling bar which, of necessity, limits the length of the article which may be made. Moreover, the tape is manually fed into the machine causing great unevenness of stitching .due to the variations in the rate of pull exerted by the operator, since few operators are able to acquire the requisite skill to maintain uniform feeding tension. A further difficulty occurs by reason of the additional thickness of material at each connection between the several strips which make up the length of the tape, and when the stitched article is manually pulled through itself these connections increase the difficulty of obtaining an even pulling tension. Attempts have been made to overcome such difficulties by the use of attachments which roll or fold the tape and provide a form through which the stitched tape may be pulled, but such attachments are generally of a fixed nature and consequently make no allowance as to size, thickness or thinness of material, or for materials having greater or less elasticity. As a result, the manufacture of spaghetti heretofore has been limited to a few materials havingabout the same weight and elastic characteristics.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sewing machine arranged and constructed in a manner which will overcome the above difiiculties of prior machines, and which will facilitate the manufacture of tubular trimming or spaghetti, irrespective of the variations in thickness or weight of material, and f the variations in elasticity thereof.

.Itis also an-object of the invention to provide an improved and simplified sewing machine for the manufacture of tubular articles which will operate at a steady, effortless speed, thereby resulting in a uniformly stitched and high quality article.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a unitary machine for manufacturing tubular trimming or spaghetti in a continuous operation and having means for receiving a continuous length of tape material, rolling the tape to present the longitudinal margins thereof in lapped or superposed relation for passage through the stitching needle to be sewed and for reversing the movement of the sewed article by turning the same right side out and passing it through itself and to means adapted for maintaining the continuous operations in timed relation with the desired rate of stitching.

It is another object ,of the present invention to provide a unique folding or rolling guide having means to facilitate the reversing of the sewed article as by momentarily subjecting the same to a stretching action at the time the reversal occurs, thereby increasing the ease with which the article may be turned right-side-out, particularly as each bias seam connecting the several strips of the continuous tape passes through the zone in which reversal occurs.

It is an additional object to provide a unique folding or rolling guide having a range of adjustment to permit the manufacture of tubular trimming or spaghetti of varying thickness and elasticity, and further having means about which the tape may be folded as a form therefor, and which at the same time constitutes the reversing head that stretches the tubular trimming or spaghetti during the time it is being reversed and turned right side out, thereby permitting the rolling, sewing, and reversing operations to be accomplished quickly, easily and uniformly with a compact assembly which may be an original part of the machine or may be added thereto as an attachment.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a sewing machine having a sewing head and means to move the tape material through the several steps of holding or rolling, sewing and reversing to a point-of discharge, the sewing head 3 form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view in assembly of a sewing machine constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the sewing machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front end elevational view of the sewing machine;

Figure 4 is an enlarged and fragmentary sectional view of the machine taken along line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 5--5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged and fragmentary sectional View taken along line 65 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a detailed perspective view of the means which acts as a form about which the tape is rolled and is adapted to reverse the tubular trimming or spaghetti;

Figure 8 is also a perspective View of the tape folding means which co-operate with the means of Figure '7;

Figure 9 is a top plan view of the assembly relationship assumed by the means shown in Figures 7 and 8;

Figure 10 is a further top plan view of the assembly of Figure 9 illustrating the operativeness thereof in connection with the tape material which is to be sewed and reversed or turned right side out;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary longitudinal sec tional elevation of the same taken along line ll-Ii of Figure 10;

Figures 12, 13, 14, and 15 are transverse sectional views of the means for rolling and reversing the tape material taken, respectively, along lines l2|2, l3i3, I l-44, and l5l5 of Figure 11;

Figure 16 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line Iii-16 of Figure 10;

Figure 17 is a View similar to Figure 16 but showing the initial operation relative to the starting of the sewed tape through the reversing means;

Figure 18 is a perspective view of a modified form of the present invention arranged for adaptation to an existing sewing machine; and

Figure 19 is a fragmentary top plan view of the modified form of the present invention shown in Figure 18.

A more complete understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the several views of the drawing in connection with the following description of the machine, in which the assembly of Figure 1 illustrates a sewing machine frame or table I adapted to carry a sewing head A on its upper surface and near one side thereof to provide a suitable working area for the preferred location and arrangement or" a tape folding and reversing assembly B close to the path of movement of the sewing needle 2 carried. in the needle bar 3, and a power operated tape feeding assembly C located across the table I from the sewing head and substantially parallel therewith. The whole machine assembly is supported above the floor upon table legs 3 and at a height suitable to the operator of the machine.

The folding and reversing assembly B is comprised of a base plate 5 (Figure 6) welded to or otherwise fixed in proper position on the table top near the needle end the sewing head A.

A folder member 6 (Figure 8) formed of thin gauge, tempered metal is adjustably mounted on the base plate 5 and a forming and reversing member E (Figure 7) is disposed within the folding member 6 and is made adjustable relative to the folding member, being held in adjusted position by means of a clamping plate 8 and c0- operable holding means 9, as will presently appear.

The strip material, which is cut on the bias and joined into a continuous tape I0, is suitably wound onto a feed spool or reel H mounted for rotation about the vertical axis of a spool post l2 fixed on the table I in front of, and to one side of, the assembly B. The tape I0 coming from the spool is passed through a tape-tensioner t comprising an upright fixed post I3 such that an adjustable flat spring element I4 carried on a second post l5 spaced from the fixed post [3 may contact the tape and apply a tension thereon in co-operation with the fixed post [3 to retard the rate at which the tape may be run off the spool. Beyond the tape-tensioner t is a feeding guide g for maintaining the tape in a flat vertical plane and in line with the feed side of the folding member 6. The feeding guide g comprises a fixed post 16, the upper end of which carries an adjustable slotted arm member I! having a vertically depending leg I8 to which is attached a guide loop re. The loop 19 and leg [3 form a rectilinear opening through which the tape l0 passes (Figure 6).

Once the tape I0 passes through the folding member 6 and is sewed by the needle 2, it is directed reversely through the member 1 and issues therefrom in the final tubular form as at 20 for guidance through an adjustable guide mem= ber 2| and insertion between the rolls 22 and 23 of the tape feeding or pulling assembly C. The adjustable guide member 2| carries an upstanding loop 24 (Figures 4 and 5) for limiting the ateral movement of the material 20 as it moves into the rolls 22 and 23. In the present assembly, the roll 22 has a smooth surface while the roll 23 has a fairly coarse knurled surface to provide the requisite grip on the tubular material 20 to efiect its continued feed from the spool H to and through the folding and reversing assembly B. By preference, as the tubular material 26 is initially fed into and between the rolls 22 and 23, it is arranged to have the stitched seam lie along one margin such that the final article is in desired form for convenience in further handling thereof, and when unrolled for use will assume a tubular or rounded-cross sec= tional form or may be conveniently pressed flat into a strip-like form. In any case, it is impor= v tant to note that the seam will not tend to twist or spiral along the finished spaghetti.

The feeding assembly'C comprises a base 25 having a gear housing 26 operatively carrying a suitable set of speed determining gears for transmitting power from the external drive pulley 21 to a pair of vertically spaced driven shafts 28 and 29 which are directed the length of the base 25 for rotative support respectively in spaced bearings 30 and 3| at the opposite end. The shaft 28 carries the upper roll 22 while shaft 29 carries the roll 23. It is preferred that the hearing 3! be of a fixed type while bearing 30 be vertically adjustable so that the spacing between rolls 22 and 23 can be adjusted to accommodate varying thicknesses of tubular articles.

Power for the sewing head A is provided by an electric motor '32 mounted under the table (Figure 1) in position to have its pulley 33 in alignment with the main pulley 34 of the sewing head A for proper travel of the connecting pulley belt 35. The main shaft 36 of the sewing head is extended outwardly of the pulley 34 to receive a second pulley 3'? for connection with the pulley 27 of the feed assembly C as by a belt 38. A belt guard 38 is provided for belt 38 to protect the operator of the machine.

Referring again to the several views of the drawing for details of construction of the assembly B for rolling and reversing the tape it, the preferred form of rolling member 5 as shown in Figure 8 is constituted by suitably shaping the tempered metal to provide a substantially cylindrical head iii which gradually tapers laterally at its longitudinal axis into a pair of flat plate-like elements il, each of which is provided with a plurality of aligned slots :32. The head it is also formed with a projecting lip 3 at its delivery end and a notched portion id at its feed or tape receiving end. The co-operating reversing memher i (Figure 7 is constituted of a plate having one end upturned to provide an edge for the securement thereto of a tape forming and reversing tube 46. The plate at has a plurality of slots 41 which, when the same is positioned between the respective plates ii of the roll member 6, register with the respective sets of slots 52. The upturned portion of plate 35 is so directed as to locate the tube 4'3 substantially concentrically of and within the cylindrical head it. Due to the provision of slots in the respective parts of the assembl B, it will be possible, first, to obtain proper positioning of the tube 45 relative to the stitching needle; and second, to adjust the position of the cylindrical rolling memher 4!! concentrically relative to the tube 46 for general use or to adjust the head 48 laterally of th tube for accommodating thin or thick tape material, as the case may be. Upon reference to Figures 9 and 10, it may be seen that the tube 46 and rolling head 4!? are adjusted for concentric relationship, with the major part of the tube within the head 45 and a lesser portion thereof projecting outwardly of the delivery end 43 to extend beyond the location of the stitching needle 2.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the form, arrangement and operative function of the tubular member 56 relative to the rolling member or head 50 and to the tape material as it moves through and be yond the stitching zone of the needle 2.

internally and externally, that a substantial portion of its wall has been cut away, as at 48, that the larger diameter end of the tube 4% possesses a relatively thick wall, and that the end adjacent but extended beyond the needle zone is flared to provide a tapered bell-shaped mouth 49. It is essential that the tube-wall be of substantial strength and rigidity to permit notching the same at 58, whereby the tube 46 may be ad justed as-close to the needle 2 as possible, 50 that itwill then be possible to arrive at and maintain a uniform diametral measurement of the completed tubular trimming 2t simply b properly selecting a size of tubular member 46 to suit the desired diameter of tubing. Moreover, forming the stitched seam closely adjacent the tube 46, as is possible in the present case, and further having a tapered form therefor, will obviate any looseness of the tape and hence prevent'wander- It will 5 be observed that tube 56 is of tapered form both 6 ing or wavy seams which later show up when the sewed tape is turned right side out.

The tube 46, therefore, provides a form over which the tape material is closely and uniformly sewed, whereas the bell mouth or flared end 49 thereof performs the function of facilitating the step of reversing the direction of feed of the tape, as well as the important function of permitting a rapid inversion of the stitched tape to a right side out condition. This action of the flared mouth 49 is momentarily to expand or stretch the tape in such a way as to maintain the free edges of the seam movable through th internal bore 5| of the tube proper without in any way causing a constriction of the tape, even at the joining seams between strips thereof, and facilitating easy flow around and into the flared mouth. In this manner, the objectionable action of the heretofore plain end tubes in permitting the sewed tubular trimming to buckle and cram at the mouth has been avoided completely and with an improved effect to increase the uniformity of article and its rate of production.

The resistance to passage of the trimming through the bore 5! on its way to the pulling rolls 22 and 23 is greatly decreased, and the tendency to twist b cutting away a substantial portion of the wall, beginning slightly in advance of the discharge end 43 of the roll head is and at a zone clearly not in any way able to cause interference with the outward movement of the tape as it is rolled over the tube preparatory to being stitched. In fact, as a result of the combined effect of the flared end and cut-away portions of the tube 46, the inseamed portions of the material will be much more smooth.

In operation, the machine is initially manually loaded and fed in order to provide a length of finished bias which can be picked up by the feeding rolls. Thus, the tape is pushed into the mouth en d3 of the rolling head it: (see Figure 11), is rolled over as it progresses (Figure 12) until the longitudinal margins are in superposed position (Figure 18) to pass under the stitching needle 2 and above an article supporting foot piece 52 (Figures 11 and 14) which is suitably apert red (not shown) or otherwise formed to permit downward movement of the needle 2 without carrying the tape therewith. The foot piece 52 replaces the usual type of foot plate which normally is moved in timed relation with the needle to feed the article being sewed, wherethe other portions of the machine mechanism such as the thread looper and co-operating elements have not been indicated since they are standard and well understood parts of the sewing machine. Continuing on then, the margins of the tape are securely sewed together at the tube notch 59 (Figures 10 and 11) and the thus formed tubular article passes outwardly over the tapered tube body and is stretched at the flared end i9, there being a suiiicient yield in the material due to its being cut on the bias of the Weave. There follows the desired stretching and flow of the material around the flared or bell-end 35 to result in an inversion which is conducive to its further progress and passage into the bore iii of tube A5. At this time, the machine operator must manually draw the article into and through tube it by means of a pulling rod 53 (Figure 17), especially formed to effect the operation. A stead but positive pull is required and is continued for as long as necessary 'to bring the lead end of the article within the reach of the rolls 22 and '23. Thereafter,

7' the machine is self-operative since the rolls are power-operated in a predetermined timed relation with the rate of stitching action produced at the sewing head A.

An alternate arrangement of the present invention is disclosed in Figures 18 and 19, wherein an existing machine of standard type, having the usual sewing head A supported on a table structure i with a motor 32 carried in position for belt connection with the pulley 34 on main operating shaft 36 of the sewing head, is equipped with an attachable table assembly 55 adjustable in a vertical direction through adjustment foot elements 56 on each of the table legs to accommodate the same to a variety of sewing machines. The table assembly carries the feeding assembly C which is similar in all essential respects to that shown in connection with the machine of Figure 1, and also has suitably secured to its back margin a carrier plate 56 having at one corner a welded attachment means 51 for adjustable connection with the machine table I to permit the table 55 to be moved across the front of the machine table I until the rolling and reversing assembly B thereon is located adjacent the stitching needle. With these differences, the machine of Figure 18 is operatively similar to that of Figure 1 and possesses all of the improvements thereof. As consequence, the addition of table 55 with its assemblies B and C already set up for operation will readily and easily convert a standard sewing machine to the manufacture of tubular articles of the character above noted.

In a machine of the type above described, it will be possible to manufacture a wide variety and size of tubular articles b relatively adjusting the positions of the rolling member 35) and the turning tube 45 to accommodate the thickness variant of the tape being processed. Where an increase or decrease in diameter of finished article is desired, the substitution for parts 48 and 45 of similar parts of desired sizes will be possible to care for the extreme differences not easily or efficiently handled by a single assembly of more or less standard nature.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the sewing machine for making tubular trimmings, may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A tape folding and reversing assembly for use in a sewing machine of the character described, the assembly including a folder head of substantially cylindrical form having a tape delivery end, said folder head tapering laterally at its longitudinal axis into a pair of flat plate-like elements, each of which is provided with a plurality of aligned slots extending in a direction approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the folder head, a reversing member with one end upturned and being provided with a plurality of slots each of said last named slots being located for alignment with one of the slots of the folder head in the provision of sets of matching slots, a tubular member secured to the outer edge of the upturned end of said reversing member, said reversing member being positioned within the folder head whereby the tubular member is located within the cylindrical portion of the folder head, said tubular member having relatively thick walls and tapering form, one end of said tubular member projecting outwardly of the tape delivery end of the folder head, the wall of the tubular member located within said folder head being cut away, said folder head and reversing member being secured together and to the sewing machine by bolts extending through the matching sets of aligned slots in said reversing member and folder head whereby to permit relative positional adjustment between the reversing member and the folder head, said folder head acting to fold the tape exteriorly about said tubular member to present its margin for sewing in the sewing machine, said tubular member acting to reverse the sewed tape at its outer end and permit relatively unrestricted movement of the reversed tape.

2. A tape folding and reversing assembly for use in a sewing machine of the character described, the assembly including a folder head of substantially cylindrical form having a tape delivery end, said folder head tapering laterally at its longitudinal axis into a pair of flat plate-like elements, each of which is provided with a plurality of aligned slots extending in a direction approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the folder head, a reversing member with one end upturned and being provided with a plurality of slots each of said last named slots being located for alignment with one of the slots of the folder head in the provision of sets of matching slots, a tubular member secured to the outer edge of the upturned end of said reversing memher, said reversing member being positioned within the folder head whereby the tubular member is located concentrically within the cylindrical portion of the folder head, said tubular member having relatively thick walls and tapering form, one end of said tubular member projecting outwardly of the tape delivery end of the folder head, the wall of the tubular member located within said folder head being cut away, said folder head and reversing member being secured together and to the sewing machine by bolts extending through the matching sets of aligned slots in said reversing member and folder head whereby to permit relative positional adjustment between the reversing member and the folder head, said folder head acting to fold the tape exterior-1y about said tubular member to present its margin for sewing in the sewing machine, said tubular member acting to reverse the sewed tape at its outer end and permit relatively unrestricted movement of the reversed tape.

3. In a machine for making tubular articles, a sewing head having a needle operated thereby, a tape folding and reversing assembly, said assembly including a folder head of substantially cylindrical form having a tape delivery end, said head tapering laterally at its longitudinal axis into a pair of fiat plate-like elements, each of which is provided with a plurality of aligned slots extending in a direction approximately per pendicular to the longitudinal axis of the holder head, a reversing member with one end upturned and being provided with a plurality of slots each of said last named slots being located for alignment with one of the slots of the folder head in the provision of sets of matching slots, a tubular member secured to the outer edge of the upturned end of said reversing member, said reversing member being positioned within the folder head whereby the tubular member is located within the cylindrical portion of the folder head, said tubular member having relatively thick walls and tapering form, and end of said tubular member projecting outwardly of the tape delivery end of the folder head and beyond the needle, said projecting end having a flared mouth and a notch formed in its wall spaced from said flared mouth for free movement of the needle closely adjacent thereto, the wall of the tubular member located within said folder head being cut away, securement means extending through each set of matching slots for releasably securing said folder head and reversing member together, in co-operative relation permitting of relative positional adjustments thereof to accommodate taped materials of various thickness and elastic characteristics, by bolts properly positioned through the aligned slots in said reversing member and folding head, said folder head acting to fold the tape exteriorly to said tubular member to present its margin for sewing in the sewing machine, said tubular member acting to reverse the sewed tape at its flared mouth and to permit relatively unrestricted movement of the reversed tape through the cut away portion thereof.

4. In a machine for making tubular articles, a

sewing head having a needle operated thereby, a tape folding and reversing assembly, said assembly including a folder head of substantially cylindrical form having a tape delivery end, said head tapering laterally at its longitudinal axis into a pair of flat plate-like elements each of which is provided with a plurality of aligned slots extending in a direction approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the folder head, a reversing member with one end upturned and being provided with a plurality of slots each of said last named slotsbeing located for alignment with one of the slots of the folder head in the provision of sets of matching slots, a tubular member secured to the outer edge of the upturned end of said reversing member, said reversing member being positioned Within the folder head whereby the tubular member is located within the cylindrical portion of the folder head, said tubular member having relatively thick walls and tapering form, an end of said tubular member projecting outwardly of the taped delivery end of the folder head and beyond the needle, said projecting end having a flared mouth and a notch formed in its wall spaced from said flared mouth for free movement of the needle closely adjacent thereto, the wall of the tubular member located within said folder head being cut away, securement means extending through each set of matching slots for releasably securing said folder head and reversing member together, in co-operative relation permitting of relative positional adjustments thereof to accommodate taped materials of various thickness and elastic characteristics, by bolts properly positioned through the aligned slots in said reversing member and folding head, said folder head acting to fold the tape exteriorly to said tubular member to present its margin for sewing in the sewing machine, said tubular member acting to reverse the sewed tape at its flared mouth and to permit relatively unrestricted movement of the reversed tape through the cut away portion thereof, tapering means including transmission means operated in timed relation with said sewing head, a pair of feed roll supporting shafts extending from said transmission means to locate the feed rolls in position to grip the sewed tape, and bearings for each of said shafts, said bearings being arranged for relative adjustment to enable feed roll adjustment.

LLOYD W. SENTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 378,904 Robinson Mar. 6, 1888 978,481 Pelham Dec. 13, 1910 983,388 McKane Feb. 7, 1911 988,528 Woehrle Apr. 4, 1911 1,937,096 Sailer Nov. 28, 1933 2,256,793 Seaman Sept. 23, 1941 

